The Navigator

Chapter 18

“This is the life. All this notoriety is really starting to get to me. I don’t know if I’ll ever be able to go back to being unknown after this!” Jack said as he lay down on the large bed next to Theo who was trying his hardest to fall asleep.

“What do you mean? We’re hardly known yet,” Brady said as he settled onto the other bed in the room and then peered out the window as he looked for Stacey. She had run out to grab them coffee to start the day. They were playing a string of gigs over the course of the week, and would be spending a lot of time in the hotel room. It was only the second day, but Brady was getting antsy. He was too used to the open road now, and it felt strange to not be riding in the van.

At least it gave them some time to do laundry and catch up on other things. He’d finally pulled out his laptop and taken advantage of the hotel’s internet to take care of a heap of unanswered emails that was waiting for him. But that had only occupied him for a day, and now he had nothing left to do except to think about things he had been putting out of his mind.

“You just need to relax, Braids,” Theo mumbled. “Stacey will be back any minute and you’ll get your coffee. Chill out.”

“I’m pretty certain this has nothing to do with coffee, Theodore,” Jack said as he patted Theo’s stomach. Theo lurched up with a start and then slugged a laughing Jack in the shoulder before grumbling and returning to his lying position.

“I miss the road already,” Brady admitted. “I’ve gotten used to the feeling of the pavement underneath me. I’m not certain I’ll be happy until we’re traveling again.”

“But we’re making money!” Theo protested as he sat up straight and looked at Brady. “We’re actually paid musicians now. That’s all we ever wanted when we started this band! We’re on our way to some serious cash now. This is the dream, Braids!”

“I always thought there would be more to it than this,” Brady said with a shrug.

“Don’t tell me you’re thinking about him again,” Theo said with a roll of his eyes. “How about we go straight to Colorado after this and pick your muse up? Do you think that would help?”

“I don’t know. Maybe,” Brady said with a shrug. “That’s if he wants to be picked up. I’m not so convinced that he’s ready for that, and maybe that wouldn’t even make me happy. I think . . .”

“Hang on, guys,” Jack interrupted as he pulled his phone from his pocket and put it up to his ear. “Jack Spencer, what can I do for you?”

Brady watched as Jack’s eyes widened in surprise, and a wide grin spread across his face. Jack turned toward him and waved him over and said, “We were just talking about you, Drake. I’m glad you called. Where you calling from anyway?”

“It’s really him?” Theo asked as he shared a look with Brady. He turned toward Jack and said, “You’re not just messing with Braids, are you? That would be pretty fuckin’ cruel.”

Brady’s heart began to race and his palms started sweating as he turned his full attention on Jack, who did nothing except look at Brady and grin wider and wider. “You’re still in Crow’s Lake? And you’re calling from . . . you’re calling from your brother’s phone? What the fuck? That’s crazy!”

“Jack,” Brady whispered, “Jack, tell me he’s all right.”

“Hey, Drake, I’ve got someone here who wants to talk to you. Do you think you could put him out of his misery for me?” Jack asked with a chuckle. He then handed the phone toward Brady and said, “It’s for you, Brady. Don’t use up all my minutes, ‘kay?”

Brady hesitated before taking the phone and putting it up to his ear. “Hello?”

“Hey there, Brady. It’s good to hear your voice,” Silas said quietly. “It’s been almost a month.”

“Yeah it has,” Brady said as he turned away from Jack and Theo and walked to the opposite side of the room. He heard movement on the bed behind him but he ignored it as he paused at the window and looked out to see Stacey getting out of the van with a drink holder in one hand and the keys in the other. “I’m glad you called.”

The sound of the door opening behind him startled Brady enough that he missed the next thing that Silas said, and he turned around to see that Theo and Jack were leaving. They closed the door quietly behind them and then Brady returned his attention to the phone conversation. “I’m sorry, what was that.”

“Nothing, I . . .” Silas began hesitantly, “It was nothing.”

Brady chuckled and replied, “No it wasn’t. Please, tell me again. I got distracted by Jack and Theo leaving the room. I promise that you have my full attention now.”

“I missed you, Brady,” Silas admitted. “I thought you should know that. With everything that’s been going on here, it was about time I finally told you.”

“I missed you too, Drake,” Brady said with a soft smile as he sat down on the bed next to him. “I have to be honest. It’s been kind of hard for me since you left.”

There was a pause on the other end of the line before Silas finally answered, “Really?”

“Definitely. I . . .” Brady paused and took a deep breath before admitting,
“I wrote a song about you.”

“I know,” Silas replied with a chuckle. “I’ve heard it.”

“What did you think?” Brady asked.

“Well, once I realized it was about me, at first I was a little upset,” Silas admitted.

“Upset?” Brady echoed. “I guess in hindsight that makes sense. I hadn’t thought about it that way. I was just trying to . . .” he paused and shook his head. “So what do you think now?”

“I’m glad that you thought highly enough of me to write a song about me,” Silas replied. “I’m honored. Seems like everyone else likes it too.”

“Yeah, it’s our first major hit. Though now that we’re playing better gigs some of our older songs are starting to get noticed,” Brady said with a chuckle. “But you’re the one that helped get us that notice, just by being you.”

“Glad I could help,” Silas laughed. “It was about time that the world knew the kind of geniuses you guys are.”

“I wouldn’t go that far,” Brady said with a grin. “Besides, we only got recognized because of The Navigator’s genius.”

“You’re the one who wrote the song,” Silas countered.

“No, you did,” Brady replied.

There was silence on the other end for a moment as Silas let the thought settle in. “You really did miss me. I’m surprised,” Silas said after a moment.

“Yes. It took nearly all of my willpower not to drive back to Colorado to try and find you,” Brady replied. “Jack said that we should, and I told him that you needed time to find what you were looking for.”

“You were right, as always,” Silas said. “But I think I found it, too.”

“You told Jack that you were calling from your brother’s phone. That’s got to be a different story altogether,” Brady observed. “What happened?”

“I’d love to tell you, but I heard Jack say something about not using up all of his minutes,” Silas replied. “It’s going to take a while.”

“I’m willing to do it in segments. It will give you a good reason to call again,” Brady replied with a grin. “I’d love to hear your voice as often as you’re willing to give it to me.”

“It’s a date,” Silas agreed, and Brady could hear the blush in his voice. “Actually, that was something I’ve wanted to talk to you about.”

“What’s that?” Brady asked.

“Next time you find yourself in Colorado, I’d love to have coffee with you.” Silas hesitated and then added, “Assuming you’re available.”

“That sounds perfect,” Brady replied with a sigh. “I’d love to have some stimulating conversation over stimulants.”

“I’d like to stimulate more than the conversation,” Silas said without skipping a beat.

Brady gasped and then laughed for several seconds before finally replying, “You haven’t lost your edge I see.”

“As edgy as always I suppose,” Silas admitted with a boyish giggle. “Brady. I would really like to get to know you even better, and I’m hoping to get that chance. It looks like I’m going to be staying here in Crow’s Lake for a while. I thought you might want to know that.”

“Definitely,” Brady replied. “Do you have a pen and paper nearby?”

“Yeah, what’s up?”

“I’d like you to have my number instead, so that you don’t have to call Jack and use his minutes,” Brady explained.

“Hold on one second,” Silas said eagerly, and Brady heard the sound of him shuffling as he searched for a pen. “All right, give it to me.”

After Brady relayed the number Silas said, "All right, well, I better go. Don't want to keep you from important band business."

"Um, okay, but . . ." Brady said, but then there was a click on the other end of the line. Brady held the phone out from his ear and stared at it. Silas had ended the call, and without even saying goodbye. He let the phone fall to his lap as he wondered what to make of the conversation.

Then he felt his own phone vibrating in his pocket and he practically threw Jack's phone onto the nightstand in order to free up his hand. As soon as he had retrieved his phone from his pocket he looked at the number and saw that it was the same as the one Silas had been calling from before. Without any hesitation he answered the call.

"Hello?"

"Hey, Brady," Silas said, and Brady could hear the smile in his voice. "I just wanted to make sure that you didn't give me a dud number. It's not every day I ask some hottie for their number and I was told once that you've got to see if it works while they're still with you."

"Still with you, huh?" Brady said with a grin. "What does that mean?"

"Well, I figure if I can write your songs for you from two states away, then I can certainly still be with you from that far away as well," Silas replied. "What, don't you want me to be there with you?"

"More than you may ever know," Brady said with a contented sigh.

Silas giggled and replied, "Well, I think that next time you and the band are free you should head down to Colorado and check in on me. I'm sure that Adelaide would be happy to see you."

"Only Adelaide?"

"Well, there might be someone else who is looking forward to spending some time with you," Silas explained with another giggle.

"Before I forget, Drake, there's something I need to tell you about," Brady said cautiously.

"What? Don't tell me you met another guy," Silas said quietly.

"No, definitely not that," Brady replied. "But I did meet a girl, and she's someone who knows you."

"Shit," Silas replied, "What do you mean, 'knows me'?"

"Your sister, Emma, showed up in Twin Falls," Brady explained. "She wanted to know where to find you, but we didn't tell her."

"That's good. Don't," Silas replied firmly. "I don't want anyone from my family to find me here, and if Emma finds out then my parents will too. I can't afford to have anyone coming looking for me. I have a good thing going on here."

"You sound like there's more going on than that," Brady said. "You're planning something, aren't you?"

"I will neither confirm nor deny that accusation," Silas replied.

"So, that's a confirmation then. Do you need any help?" Brady asked.

"That depends, are you going to tell Emma that I'm here?" Silas returned.

Brady replied without hesitation, "No."

"Then that's all the help I need," Silas said. "I do have to take Adelaide for a walk right now, but I promise I'll call again soon, maybe from my own cell phone."

"If you get a phone, I hope I'm the first person you call," Brady said with a laugh. "I know it sounds corny as hell, but I miss talking to you already and you're still on the line."

"I feel the same way," Silas replied. "I'll talk to you soon."

"Goodbye, Drake."

                "Goodbye.